Saturday, June 27, 2009

Coloring Tutorial FINALLY Here!!!!

Well, here it is. Finally, I have manage to put together this tutorial. I tell you, it was very difficult for me. The pictures I had orginally taken turned out horrible. I took them myself while coloring the image. They were blurry and bad quality. So, I had to wait until I had someone here with me to help me take these photos. I tell ya, try to cordinate that was next to impossible, but I finally was able to pen down my oldest DD, Aliyah, to help me out. So this morning I set out to color a new image with Aliyah at my side taking the pictures. Then came the task of uploading and writing out this tutorial. I mean to tell ya, there has got to be an easier way of doing this. It has taken me forever!! It seemed everytime I uploaded a new pic, it skewed all the other ones. It was a pains taking process. I do not know if I will ever atempt to do this again!! Through it all though, I did manage to get it done. I hope you enjoy this and find it helpful in your own journey of coloring.

To start, you will need...

An image to colorColor Pencils from light to darkBlender StumpOdorless Mineral Spirits

Now, for the pencil colors, when coloring an image, you want to give it depth. To do this, you need several shades of the color. I usually go with three. A light, a medium, and a dark. In this case, I went with Yellow Orche, Goldenrod, and Burnt Orche. Some times I only go with two, depends on what I am coloring.

To begin, use the lightest color first. In this case, it is Yellow Ochre. Add a slightly thick line of Yellow Ochre to the outer edges of the image.

This is what it look like once you have added Yellow Ochre to the outer edges of the image.

With a blender stump dipped in Odorless Mineral Spirits, blend the color in small circles around the outer edges of the images, pulling the color into the center giving the image complete color coverage.

This is what it looks like once it is all blended.

Now, to add some depth to the image. Color a thinner line of Goldenrod to the all of the edges.

This is what it look like once you have added Goldenrod to the outer edges.

Like the first time around, blend the color in in small circles around the edges and pull the color into the center. Don't pull the color all the way the the center like the first time. Just blend it in part of the way, making it look smooth. You want the lighter color to stay showing in the center.

This is what it looks like once it is all blended.

Now you want more depth to the outer parts of the image. Take Burnt Ochre and add a thin line of color to the outer parts of the dog minus the nose and the belly.

This is what it looks like when you are finished adding Burnt Ochre to the edges.

Blend the edges with a blender stump. Instead of blending in circles like with the first two blendings, blend it by going back and forth, lightly pulling to the center. This way it keeps the darker color to the outer edges of the image giving it depth.

This is what it looks like once it is blended.

I needed to add just a little more depth to my image. I added a touch of Goldenrod to the edges of the nose,the bridge of the nose, and the base of the belly. I added a touch of Burnt Ochre under the nose at the neck line, and the the back legs. I then blended the colors in for the final time to complete the image.

This is what is looks like when you are done.

This is the finished creation. I took the image, cut it out with a Nestibilities, destressed it, and layered it up on the card you see. I hope this tutorial helps y'all understand how I color all the images with Prismacolor Pencils and Odorless Mineral Spirits. This is one heck of a task creating a tutorial, but I finally got it done for y'all.

Tell me....

What do y'all think?

I would love to see what y'all come up with, so please send me a link to show what you have done!!

I forgot to mention, my image is a digital image from Doodle Palace. Check out their store on my sidebar. They have incredibily cute stuff!!

Hey Lyn, I have no problem with that. I think it is great. I still would like to see everyone's creations from what y'all have learned from my tutorial!! It is neat to see that so many people wanted to know how I color. It is something I have done all my life. Never thought I'd do a tutorial on it!!

Hi Michelle, found your blog from Dustin's.Love this tutorial! I would never have thought to use three different shades. :)I have a couple of questions and hope you can answer: 1. When you add the 2nd and 3rd colors, do you add the outlines at the EDGE of the image? Or the edge of the previous color(s)? Does my question make sense? LOL and 2. Do you wait for the previous color(s) to dry before adding additional colors?

Hey there Ted, I was gonna try to email you, but I guess your blog is not public. In anwer to your questions, you add the 2nd and the 3rd (if you use a 3rd) to the edges just like the 1st and no you do not need to wait for it to dry to continue. It actually works better if you don't wait. Hope this helps.Have a great day!!Michelle

Hi! I just found your blog from Dustin Pike's website. You have beautiful cards. I found this coloring technique interesting. I see all these cards colored with Copic markers, but who can afford them? I have a few questions, if you don't mind: 1) Do you use watercolor pencils?, 2) any special paper, and 3) is a blender stump the same thing as one of those chalk smearing thingies? Thanks for the fabulous tut!

Fantastic tutorial, I am new to coloring the digi stamps and just purchased (waiting to get them) a set of the prismacolor pencils to see if I like using them. Thanks again for the tutorial, I guess I will eventually need to get the blending stump and olorless mineral sprits, but need to get used to the pencils and coloring once again...

I hope you're feeling better from your migraine, Michelle. Those can be buggers. I found your site through Dustin's. You have an amazing gift and thank you for sharing it with us not so gifted crafters out here... ;) I did want to re-ask Paula's question though about the watercolor pencils. Do you use those or just the regular Prismacolor pencils? I love my watercolor pencils, but I just don't get the rich colors that you do, but then again... I use them with water. ;) Thanks again!

Thanks for sharing this fabulous tutorial. I have had colored pencils around forever and just couldn't get the effect I was looking for. I went the Copic route ($$$), ouch. And here I had Odorless Mineral Spirits for eons and never would have thought to use it. I just found you by accident, lucky me. :) I can't wait to get out my pencils. :)

Thanks for this great tutorial! I have been doing the blending with the spirits, but the 3 colours & the way you do it is so much better. Can't wait to colour something. I've bookmarked this page and will come back many times I'm sure. And great photo's by your DD - worth all the effort. I have mostly coloured with watercolour pencils on stamped images, but with digi's that doesn't work so well. Thanks again!!

That is great. I wish my digi pictures looked like that dog. You have such fantastic stuff in america and other places around the world. I have never heard of a blender stump?? How do i get one. Bloody Fantastic technique. From Christine R. Australia

About Me

Hello. My name is Michelle Redman. I am a 40 yr mother of two girls. Aliyah is my oldest. She is 14 yrs old. Brianna is my youngest. She is 7 yrs old. I have been married 10 yrs to my wonderful husband, John. My husband is a docking pilot on the river. I am basically an at-home mom, but I do run the paper end of my husband's business. I have been stamping for a little over four years. I look forward to sharing my creations and the wonderful quirkes of my life with everyone.

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